Residents, faith leaders urge Hillsborough County commissioners to restore $10 million to HOPE affordable housing fund

Dozens of residents, clergy and community organizers urged the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners on April 16 to restore $10,000,000 to the HOPE Affordable Housing Fund for the 2026 budget.

The appeals came during the meeting’s 45-minute public-comment period, where more than 20 speakers signed up and multiple representatives of the HOPE (Hillsborough Organization for Progress and Equality) coalition described last week’s Nehemiah Action, saying about 1,200 people attended and pressed the board to fully fund the county’s affordable-housing program.

Why it matters: Speakers said restoring the $10 million would expand housing for seniors, working families, veterans and other vulnerable residents and would leverage state, federal and private funds. They tied housing to public health, workforce stability and school outcomes.

Several faith leaders and HOPE organizers gave detailed appeals. Reverend Bernice Powell Jackson, pastor of First United Church of Tampa, said, “For every dollar we invest in affordable housing, we get six more dollars back in state and federal and private funds and a stronger economy.” Reverend Justin LaRosa of Hyde Park United Methodist and other pastors asked commissioners to meet with advocates before the next budget cycle. HOPE speakers also handed commissioners about 1,200 signed postcards asking for the funding.

Multiple speakers described local impacts. Willa Peterson, founder of Sheltering the Unsheltered Inc., cited county figures included in the public presentation: she said at least 157,816 households with very low or extremely low incomes are cost-burdened and that she believed the official unsheltered count (1,893) underestimates the problem. Dr. Neil Manamala, a local physician, linked housing instability to worsening health outcomes for seniors and other patients he treats.

Not all remarks were statistical. Several speakers described individual episodes of housing instability and long waits for subsidized housing; Laurie Jones Olukoo read a neighbor’s first-person plea from a tent encampment. Tampa Bay Crew rugby organizer William Nielsen asked the board for help securing fields and facilities for youth sports, framing recreation as a community asset tied to retention of young people.

Board response and outcome: Commissioners did not vote on a budget amendment during the meeting. Commissioners who attended the Nehemiah Action were singled out by speakers; multiple presenters noted that only Commissioner Harry Cohen had attended and urged other commissioners to meet with advocates.

What’s next: Speakers asked the commission to include the $10 million in the 2026 budget and to hold follow-up meetings with HOPE representatives. The board took no formal action to change the budget at the April 16 session.

Ending: Advocates said they will continue direct outreach, drop off the postcards gathered at the Nehemiah Action, and return to future commission meetings if the funding is not restored.